Improvement in reed-organs



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICEo ORISON C. WIIIITNEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,028, dated June 16, 1874; application tiled April 20, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Unison C. WHITNEY, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and Sta-te of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Reed-Organs, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to certain improvements in reed-organs; and consists, first, in the peculiar combination and arrangement of the knee swell 5 second, in the combination and arrangement of the celeste accompaniment with the valve-action, and, third, in the peculiar construction of an eccentric lever in combination with the stop-lever for operating the mute-valve, as hereinafter described and claimed.

To enable others to fully widerstand my invention, I will proceed to describe the same in detail by the aid of the accompanying' drawing, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a reed-organ having' my improved knee-swell attached. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same, also showing the celeste attachment. Fig. 3 is a view of a part of the end of the instrument, showing the eccentric lever above mentioned.

A in the several figures is the soundingboard, on which the reed tube -boards are placed, and beneath which the valve-action is placed. Over each of the tube-boardsis made f a box, having hinged lids B B', held down by springs b b'. To the front of the frame A' is attached the aforesaid knee-swell movement, consisting of a curved lever, O, pivoted to a plate, C', said plate being fastened on by screws, so, if desired, it can be taken off for repairs or adjustment, the said lever O being my hinged knee-lever for organ-swells, patented July l2, 1870. Instead of having the curved end of said lever O bear against and push the block el on the lid B of the tubeboard I attach, by a joint, a connecting-rod, d', the upper end of which rests in a cavity in the under side of said block d. By thus constructing the lever a direct motion is given to the lid B without friction. E is a rockshaft, placed at one end of the framework, having arms E' E", the end of the arm E' rest-- ing on a block, e, on the front edge of the lid B, the other, E", lying under the lid B', the purpose of which is the simultaneous lifting of both lids B B' by the action of the knee-lever O. In the box under the lid B' is placed a celeste accompaniment, F, to the main tubeboard. It is made detachable for the purpose of removing it when necessary to withdraw the reeds in the main tube-board for tuning or repairs.

The object of placing the celeste accompaniment thus in juxtaposition to the main tube-board is to avoid the necessity of making a separate valve-action for the use of said accompaniment, and enabling it to be operated by the usual valve-action, by simply lengthening the valves sufficiently to cover other openings in the board. By this method great economy is gained, and an equally perfect accompaniment is obtained.

G is a metal eccentric lever, operated by the stop-lever I-I for operating the mute-valve I. It is made in the form shown, and of metal, for the purpose of securing a uniform device, not subject to atmospheric influences, which cause expansion or cont 1Iaction, thereby deranging its perfect working 5 and it also obviates the liability of the parts making a squeaking sound when rubbing together, as when wooden levers are used.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The curved lever O, plate C', connectingrod d', block d, block c, rock-shaft E, and lids B B', all combined and arranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the subject-matter of the above claim, the celeste set of reeds F, substantially as described and shown.

3. The curved metal eccentric lever G, in combination with the mute-valve I, as and for the purpose set forth.

ORISON C. VHITNEY.

I'Vitnesse.`

GEO. WYMAN, GEO. W. TIBBITTs. 

